InTeGrate Modules and Courses >A Growing Concern > Assessment
 Earth-focused Modules and Courses for the Undergraduate Classroom
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The materials are free and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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Initial Publication Date: October 16, 2014

Assessment of Module Goals

Unit 6 is the summative assessment for the entire module. As such, the overarching module goals are addressed. In this assessment, students will demonstrate their ability to:

  1. Use geological data to develop a plan for sustainable soil management in one or more agricultural settings.
  2. Predict, using systems thinking, agricultural challenges that might result from climate change.

Upon successful completion of this summative assessment, students will be able to:

  • Synthesize information about soil erosion, climate, management practices, and sustainability.
  • Make recommendations for agricultural practices that can minimize erosion and address feasibility of these actions from the perspective of key stakeholders.
  • Use evidence to show what actions are needed to mitigate soil erosion to increase sustainability of soils.
  • Apply the characteristics of good science communication to the general public by creating user-friendly fact sheets.

This unit directly supports multiple InTeGrate guiding principles. It addresses the grand challenge of sustainability by requiring students to consider land use practices and soil sustainability in the context of climate change. This problem is inherently interdisciplinary as it requires consideration of both geoscience data and stakeholder needs. Students must use systems thinking to investigate interactions between the geosphere and the anthrosphere, in particular the positive feedback between agricultural practices and the sustainability of soil as a vital resource.

Overall Module Assessments

Summative Assessment

Students use what they have learned about the interdisciplinary problem of soil sustainability to make recommendations for agricultural practices in response to potential changes in climate. Students present their findings in a summative fact sheet that describes best practices for mitigating potential changes while remaining sensitive to stakeholder concerns and feasibility.

Unit 6: Creating an Agricultural Fact Sheet is the summative assessment for the Growing Concern module.

Unit Assessments

Course Overview Activity Tracking Sheet

This tracking sheet includes a complete list of Unit assessments:

Rubrics for these unit assessments are presented on the individual unit pages.

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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »